FIFA approves video assistant referees for 2018 World Cup
Bogota: FIFA has approved the use of video assistant referees (VARs) in this year's World Cup in Russia, the international football governing body has said.
The technology was approved by rule-making board IFAB earlier this month but FIFA was yet to ratify its use for football's showpiece tournament, which will be played in Russia from June 14 to July 15.
"We are going to have our first World Cup with video assisted refereeing," FIFA President Gianni Infantino told reporters on Friday after a meeting of FIFA's ruling council in Bogota, Xinhua news agency reported.
"This has been adopted and approved and we are extremely happy with that decision. It's an essential decision, very important and historical decision."
VAR allows officials to review and overturn referee decisions for incidents including goals, penalty awards, red cards and mistaken identity.
The system has been used in Germany's Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A this season as well as some English FA and League Cup matches. It was also trialled during the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.
Infantino accepted the VAR was "not perfect", but said it ensured "a fairer and more transparent sport".
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Man sets fire to gas cylinder on truck in Kerala's Kottayam, held
Kottayam(Kerala) (PTI): A 33-year-old man climbed onto a parked truck carrying cooking gas cylinders and set fire to one of them near Thalayolaparambu in the small hours of Saturday, police said.
The incident occurred around 12.30 am, they said.
The fire and rescue personnel soon arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire, averting a major disaster.
According to police, the man is suspected to be under mental distress as he claimed that he was walking from Ernakulam to his home in Marangattupilly here when he saw the truck on the roadside.
An FIR under sections 329(3)(criminal trespass),324(2)(mischief),326(f)(mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was lodged against him.
Police said that the man was formally arrested, but will be released on station bail as the offences he is accused of are bailable.
"His family is here at the station and he will be released to them," the officer said.
In the FIR, police have said that the man opened the seal of one of the gas cylinders and set fire to it with the knowledge that his act was dangerous to those living in the area.
According to the company transporting the cooking gas cylinders, it suffered a loss of Rs 2,300 in the incident.
